THE escalating number of fatalities from the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) has set alarm bells ringing through the tourism community in the Middle East, with Muslim travellers performing the haj a concern.
As of Sunday night, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 133 deaths out of the 493 cases. MERS has reared its head mostly in Saudi Arabian cities including Jeddah, Medina and Makkah, but also in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
However, WHO concluded after a five-day mission in Saudi Arabia recently that there has not been a “significant change in the transmissibility of the virus”. The majority of human-to-human infections had happened in healthcare facilities and a quarter of the newly afflicted were healthcare workers, WHO elaborated.
WHO stated in a media release: “WHO does not advise any special screening at points of entry with regard to this event nor does it currently recommend the application of any trade or travel restrictions including for upcoming pilgrimage travel to Saudi Arabia.”
Another WHO team is currently in UAE to assess and assist with the health situation here.
Moiz Joher, managing director, Dubai-based Joher Travel & Tourism, said: “With our past experiences of avian flu and SARS, a close wait-and-watch approach is necessary. No one is hitting the panic button yet, but such situations can spiral into an epidemic and cause long-term havoc in the travel and tourism canvas in the region.”
